


come on and be my little good luck charm

by fiveminutemajor



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Friends to Lovers, M/M, but nolpat still has migraines sorry, does this make any sense at all? no, hotel? trivago, pandemic? what pandemic, still hockey players don't worry, warning for typical hockey player language even though most of it comes from an ancient chaos spirit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:54:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24069190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveminutemajor/pseuds/fiveminutemajor
Summary: in which travis swears that nolan is a luck witch, except for the fact that luck witches don't existalternativelytravis is unnaturally lucky, and it's all nolan's fault
Relationships: Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick
Comments: 20
Kudos: 157





	come on and be my little good luck charm

**Author's Note:**

> (title from good luck charm by elvis presley)
> 
> if you or anyone you know is mentioned in this work, please click away. you don't need to be here.
> 
> i am very, very sorry for the mess that you are about to read. i had the idea and i very quickly realized that i actually have no idea how to write.
> 
> this is unbetad and only barely edited sorry!

Travis is not superstitious, to be clear. He’s just wary. It’s a little suspicious when he starts finding random $5 bills tucked in pockets of pants he hasn’t worn in months. G says he’s lucky. Travis thinks there’s more to it.

There are simple things. For one, Travis hasn’t lost his phone or keys since Nolan started with the Flyers. He could contribute that to being an organised and responsible person, but Travis is neither of those. When driving, his car never hits the massive potholes in the middle of the road, even the seemingly unavoidable ones. Whenever he needs to buy things, they’re always in stock. Sometimes cars will come a little too close for comfort, but he’s never been in an accident. Apart from that one time with Nolan in the parking garage, but even then, luck was on his side. 

Most of these things can be explained by simple coincidence, but they keep cropping up. Everytime Travis sees Patty, it seems like his luck increases tenfold. (That’s a word Nolan taught him after he spent too long trying to say ‘a whole bunch’). 

Then there’s the other thing. The happy, giddy, flustered feeling Travis gets in his chest when Nolan laughs at his jokes. Or meets his eyes before puck drop, game face on. Or finds him in a celly hug right after a beauty goal. Or anything Nolan does, really. It’s starting to become a bit of a problem.

Travis thinks there's a correlation between Nolan and his newfound luck. So what if that theory is just solidified by the blush on Nolan’s cheeks whenever Teeks calls him his lucky charm. Beezer, the resident spring witch of the team, tells Travis that his theory is bullshit.    
  


“There’s no such thing as a luck witch, Teeks.” He’d said. “And I’d know if there was another witch in the locker room anyway.” Whatever. Bees is just a rookie, what does he know? 

_ Joel literally comes from generations of spring witches. I’m sure he knows more about witchcraft than you do, dipshit. _

“Shut up!” Travis says, right in the middle of a Wawa.

_ They think you’re crazy! _

“Who? Who are you talking about?” Travis looks around frantically, but there’s no one else there except the bored teen getting a pretzel and the cashier. They’re not paying any attention to him.

_ Oh, you know, all of them. _ Travis must look pitifully confused, because Tucker changes their voice to an exaggerated version of Kevin’s booming Boston accent.  _ You know, bud. The boys! Ferda and all that shit. _

“You sound stupid.” Travis deadpans.

_ You sound stupid. _ Tucker mocks.

“I can put you in the box anytime I want, bud. I wouldn’t push it.” 

_ Shut up. I know you won’t. You haven’t used the box as a punishment in years. I go in there when I want.  _ Travis can’t see him, but he can tell that Tucker’s six arms are all crossed. He can feel the djinn’s glare through the planes. 

“Whatever you say, bud.” Travis rolls his eyes.

_ Speaking of the box, are you gonna go out tonight? I want to get a magazine if I’m gonna be in there. _ Travis sighs.

“Yeah.  _ US Weekly _ or  _ People _ ?”

_ People. I need to get the latest Kardashian gossip if I’m gonna be forced to hear you banging it out all night. _

“You’re gross and I hate you.” Travis says as he picks up the latest issue of  _ People _ .

_ Aww, that’s too bad.  _ Tucker pauses, like they’re thinking.  _ Get Nolan a pretzel.  _

“Why?” Travis asks.

_ It gives you an excuse to see him, duh. Sometimes I wonder how you got this far. _

“Why would I show up to Kev and Patty’s house with just a pretzel?”

_ I’m so much smarter than you are, it wows me. He wants to see you too, lover boy. _   
  


“Would you stop? I know he doesn’t. And quit calling me “lover boy”. S’not funny.” Travis frowns and goes to the checkout counter.

_ He likes you just as much as your hick ass fawns over him.  _

“Okay that’s where I draw the line, Tuck. You’re more of a hick than I am. Or did you forget the hundreds of years you’ve spent on farms in the middle of nowhere?” 

_ Thousands of years, actually.  _ Travis glares at the spot where he can feel Tucker in the next plane over and sets the magazine and his energy drink on the counter. The cashier looks curious, but not alarmed. “Djinn,” Travis explains and the cashier nods understandingly, “and can I get a pretzel too?”

_ You’re whipped. _ Travis can feel Tucker laughing at him.

“How many times do I have to tell you to shut up! Where did you learn that anyway?”

_ Sticking just one finger into your plane and using your phone while you sleep doesn’t actually take that much energy, surprisingly.  _

“I don’t know why I expected a serious answer from you.” Travis says and slides his card over the counter.

_ Oh, but that was a serious answer. _ Travis rolls his eyes, but then an ice cold finger jabs him in the soft spot under his ribs and he jumps. 

“You’re not allowed to injure me, you know the rules!” Travis yelps.

_ Oh no,  _ Tucker puts on their best baby voice,  _ did a tiny wittle poke hurt the big stwong hockey pwayer?  _

“I can’t stand you, you know that right?”

_ I know! _ Tucker says, and Travis swears he could feel their mischievous glee from ten planes away.

-

Travis doesn’t normally hook up with guys. That’s actually the wrong way to phrase it. Travis doesn’t normally hook up, but when he does, it’s with guys. The team knows, and it wasn’t a big deal when he came out, but it’s hard to find a boyfriend when the danger of being outed to the entire league is right there. So, he settles for occasional hook-ups with guys in road trip cities who look like they’ve never heard of the Philadelphia Flyers. 

One night, he finds a huge guy in a bar who looks like he might be a trucker or a lumberjack but Travis doesn’t really care. He just needs to feel small. Usually he hates when guys dwarf him completely, because it almost always leads to short jokes. Travis fucking hates short jokes. But sometimes he needs to feel totally and completely engulfed by someone. Part of him wishes that person would be Nolan. The rest of him pushes that away for a different time. 

Trucker guy buys him a drink and seems nice enough, so they go back up to TK’s hotel room (this is the only time he’s thankful that Patty isn’t with them). Apparently, he has a tiger affinity, so Travis’ night was bound to be interesting. 

Interesting it is, but not in the way TK was hoping. The guy steps one foot through the threshold and doubles over like he’s been punched. Travis rushes over to him, but he flinches.

“What the hell are you, man? I thought you said all you had was a djinn in a locked box?” 

“What do you mean? That is it! I wasn’t lying, I wouldn’t lie about shit like that.” Travis says, brows scrunching in confusion.

“Are you kidding?” Trucker guy almost yells.

“No! I swear!”

“You need to figure your shit out, man. There’s no way I can go in there. Or near you, at this point. There are so many protective wards in this room, I’m not sure how I got within 50 feet of the hotel. I don’t want whatever dragon that’s claimed you coming after me. Matter of fact, why did you even bother with me when you clearly have someone who cares about you this much. Have a good night, Travis.” And with that, he leaves.

Travis thinks about that for a while, but thinking too hard gives him a headache and he falls asleep. 

-

They’re playing COD on Kevin’s couch when Travis brings it up. Nolan’s already up to get a drink and Tucker’s in the box for now, so TK feels like it’s the perfect time.

“You’re sure you don’t have any special magic mumbo jumbo, Pats? I could swear-”

“Nope. Nothing. I’m just a normal person.” Nolan says, and Travis wants to push, but his voice is verging on annoyance so he leaves it alone. TK has learned the hard way when to stop. “Technically you don’t have any ‘special magic mumbo jumbo’ either. Tucker is not a part of you. They’re a whole separate entity.”

_ Damn right, I am. Thanks, Patso. _ Tucker is radiating smugness and Travis swears Nolan glances at the spot Tucker is hovering in, but that couldn’t be true. It’s just a coincidence. 

“Alright dude, but if I have to hear Beezer bitch one more time about the burden of spring magic and how no one understands, I’m gonna ‘accidentally’ release Tuck’s bonds.” Travis knows the danger, and he would never actually release a millenia-old chaotic air djinn on a rookie, but it’s fun to toy with the idea. 

“Teeks- Don’t.” Patty is just looking at him with this curiously fond expression.

“Oh don’t worry, I won’t do that before he drops his album.” Travis jokes, and Nolan’s lips curve slightly. An absolute win in TK’s book.

“Do you want a cookie? I’ve been experimenting lately and I need a taste-tester on this batch.” Travis knows Nolan has taste buds and Kevin is definitely home, but he’s not about to say no to a free cookie, so he follows Patty into the kitchen. 

“Okay. Just, um. Take a bite and let me know what you think?” Patty says and hands TK a normal looking chocolate chip cookie. Travis does as instructed and a groan slips out around the heavenly bite of cookie.

“Oh, Pats. You gotta teach me how to make this. It’s literally the best thing I’ve ever tasted. You’re a god.” He looks up at Nolan, who’s looking down. The tips of his ears are a fierce red, and Travis is willing to bet his cheeks are the same. “Wait are you? A god, I mean. I’ve heard of some people manifesting as minor deities and-”

“Teeks, no. I’m not a god. Why are you so set on me having magic, anyway?” Nolan is looking at him now, his mouth set in a hard line.

“I don’t know,” Travis says, dragging it out. “You’re just so. You know. You.” He gestures up and down Nolan’s body, like that’s supposed to mean something.

“I promise, I’m not a luck witch, or whatever you’ve been asking the team about.” Travis blanches.

“You, ah, heard about that?”

“Trav, it’s our team. You act like any of them can keep their mouth shut for more than 10 minutes.” Nolan’s smiling though, so Travis thinks he might be okay.

“I don’t know, it’s just. Something this guy said.” Travis sighs.

“Which guy?” Nolan stiffens.

“Uh, not important! He said that some dragon ‘claimed me’ or something like that. I’ve been trying to figure out what he meant.” TK can tell by the way Nolan’s eyes widen and stands up straight that he knows something. 

“Uh, I’m sure it’s nothing.” Nolan clears his throat and looks away. “He was probably drunk.”

“Patty.”

“Teeks.”

“He said that someone cared about me enough to put like, a hundred layers of protection on my room.” Nolan still can meet his gaze. “I can only think of one person who would do that, and it’s not my mom.”

“I told you, I’m not-”

“Why don’t you want to tell anyone? Dragons are fucking sick dude!” Nolan cracks a small smile, so TK figures he’s right. “It makes so much sense! You’re such a grumpy bastard all the time, but it’s because of your badass dragon affinity, not because you hate everyone!”

“I wouldn’t call it badass.” Nolan rubs the back of his neck, and finally looks up at Travis.

“I’m totally right! So like, what’s the deal man? Why didn’t you tell anyone? Especially me? What’s with the wards? And the luck? I know you have something to do with the luck!”

“Is it okay if I don’t explain everything right now? It’s a lot, and I’m tired. But yeah, I had something to do with the luck.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine, bud. I’m not going anywhere. If you don’t want to explain now, or tomorrow, or ever, that’s fine.” TK takes a tentative step towards Nolan.

“I’m sorry.” He says, after a beat.

“What?”

“I’m sorry.” Nolan repeats.

“No, I heard what you said. Why are you apologizing?”

“I, uh. Dragon instincts, you know, gotta keep the horde safe. To protect what’s important to you. Usually it’s possessions and material stuff, but I’ve never been greedy like that.” He trails off, and Travis makes the connection.

“It’s me this time, isn’t it. Not watches or jewelry, it’s me.” The way Nolan blushes tells Travis everything he needs to know.

“If I’m being honest, Trav, it’s always been you.” Nolan’s eyes are shining and his tone is so unbearably soft and Travis thinks that maybe, maybe Nolan actually is his lucky charm.

**Author's Note:**

> you made it through? wow. congratulations for not backing out immediately! i appreciate it very much! here are some explanations that i am sure you would like:  
> \- affinities are when a person is linked to a certain creature, inheriting their traits and certain bonuses that come along with them. they cannot transform into the creature  
> \- dragons are extremely possessive, but they are also seen as incredibly lucky. tigers are seen as the enemy of dragons.  
> \- nolan could only place protection wards on travis' room because his magic doesn't work like that. why? because.  
> \- tucker took the form of travis' childhood dog until travis was old enough to understand them. travis named the dog and refuses to call the djinn anything but tucker.  
> \- nolan can sense tucker's presence just like any magical being
> 
> okay! any comments would mean the entire world to me! if you liked it, please tell me why! if you didn't like it, i know, and also please let me know what i could do better!
> 
> find me on twitter @ lovestruckpuck !!  
> yeehaw lads


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